Elihu starts with his rebuke of Job in chapter 33.  He starts with urging Job to listen to what he has to say (Job 33: 1-4).  He is also urging Job to test what he has to say against Job’s assertion that he is just. (Job 33: 5-8).  Elihu points out that Job said that God is against him and counts Job as an enemy (Job 33:10-11).   Elihu heard Job complain that God was not answering him, but Elihu reminds Job that God does not have to answer to man (Job 33:  12-13).   Further, Elihu reminds Job that God does speak through dreams and His word coming to men’s ears.  In this way, the Lord terrifies men so that they will repent and be saved from the pit and death (Job 33: 14-18).  

Elihu goes on to explain that God also rebukes men through suffering (Job 33: 19-22).  But God sends a mediator (an angel he stated) who would teach men how to be righteous.    He would deliver men from the pit as a ransom for them.  The mediator will pray for the suffering, and they will be restored to righteousness seeing the mediator.   And in the end, men will recognize that it was God who mediated for and rescued them (Job 33: 23-30).

I will break here a second to remind everyone that we also have a great mediator today.   1 Timothy 2:5-6 states “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”   Isiah 53: 6 states “We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all”.    While Elihu was wrong in his claim that Job’s suffering was the result of wrong doing, he was correct in directing Job to the mediator between Job and God, who in reality is God Himself doing the mediating on our behalf.

In chapter 34, we see Elihu continuing his rebuke of Job now turning towards Job’s assertion that he was right (Job 34: 4-6).   He claims that Job walks with evil doers by stating that the righteous suffer the same as the evil doers (Job 34: 7-8).  But God is righteous and does no wrong.  Elihu argues that this means God will judge each man according to their works.  And God’s justice is always right.  And by His power God could destroy all men (Job 34: 10-15).  Elihu is wrong on these accounts.  First, Job has not sinned in what he said despite Elihu asserting that he did.  Second, while God’s justice is always right, it is not built on the works of men but on our faith.  Romans 3:28 states “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the Law”.  It is based on faith that all men will be judged, not works.

Elihu continues arguing that men cannot uphold justice, for only God has that authority and ability.   God sees everything we do with no place to hide our secrets.  And He gives out justice as He sees fit.   And God must have found iniquity in Job where Job turned from the Lord and mistreated the poor and afflicted (Job 34: 17-28).  He states that the righteous repent of their sin when suffering but condemns Job because he will not repent of the sin which has led to his suffering and instead shows rebellion against God (Job 34: 31-37). Again, Elihu is correct that only God is impartial in judgement, he errors in saying that Job must have done something wrong.  

Elihu now continues with his condemnation of Job indicating that he either was not righteous, or if he was righteous God has not received anything from Job (Job 35:1-7).  The oppressed cries are not heard by God because of their pride, and Elihu is saying that it is the same for Job ( Job 35:9-16).

Elihu then claims to be speaking on the behalf of God (Job 36: 1-4).  God is just in how he deals with both the wicked and the afflicted, and the righteous are exalted (Job 36:6-7).  God uses afflictions, including bondage as prisoners in order to correct us (Job 36:8-9).  God also speaks to the afflicted and if they listen and turn to Him, they will be delivered from bondage. If they do not, they would suffer lacking knowledge God intended for them if they cried out to God at all (Job 36: 11-13).  Elihu explains that God uses suffering to redeem the wicked, and states out right that Job’s suffering relates to some wickedness in Job and encourages Job to repent (Job 36: 15-21).  Elihu ends chapter 36 describing the majesty of God as a teacher that is demonstrated through all his amazing creation (Job 36: 22-33).